Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-01-14
IT Saved HIS LIFE.
REMARKABLE SURGICAL FEAT n
THE CINCINN1TI HOSPIT1L.

BONE REMOVED--PAiALlS AND
DISEASE DISAPPEAR AND THE
PATIENT RECOVERs--DETAILs
OF THE OPERATION.
One of the rarest and most dan
gerOus operationsin the whole scope
of surgery has lately been perform.
ed at the Cincinnati hospital. 1t
consisted in removing about three
inches of the backbone and expos
ing the spinal cord. The patient
was young colored man about 2l
years of age. When first admitted
to the hospital he was suffering
from a terrible disease which had
broken out over the head, neck and
back in the form Of large assesses,
the chief one of which was about
the middle of the back, and had
eaten away the backbone to con
siderable extent. The poor fellow
could not lie in the recumbent pos
ture nor on his side in consequence
of the extreme pain attending such
a position, and was compelled to
lie all the while on his face. Slowly
he had lost the power of motion
and of sensation in his legs, so that
he was completely paralyzed from
the body down. He could neither
sit nor stand and could only move
himself in bed with assistance
Thus terribly afflicted, he bore his
sufferings with a fortltude worthy
an older man than he and was very
cheerful withal. Internal treat
ment had no effect whatever, and
then it became necessary to ex-
plore the assesses.
On puncturing the one on the
back some offensive pus escaped,
and on introducing the finger the
dead and decayed bone could be
plainly felt. 1t was decided that
his only chance of life lay IN an
operation for the removal of part
of the backbone so as to stop the
process OF decay. The operation
and It's dangers were laid before the
young man, and in the face OF 1t all
he resolved to undergo the hazard
| Gus trial, as it was a choice be-
tween lite and death. He had vast
ed away into a mere skeleton, aud
his trembling, emaciated form seem
ed scarcely able to endure such
terrible ordeal. The patient was
placed on the table and given ether
until he was sound asleep. lie was
then turned on his face and the
plucky surgeon made an lnclslon
right down OH the spine. A large
quantity OF pus was revealed, and
the cavity was sponged out care
fully in order to see just where the
knife was going.
WITH CHISEL AND HAMMER.
In this region, where one slip OF
the knife or one false move wOnld
have been fatal to the patient, the
surgeon with a chisel and hammer
went down on the bone until he
cut out all that which was in any
way affected, never touching the
spinal cord. There lay the white
SHINING cord at the bottom of the
wound in all its pristine beauty,
and not scratch marred its SUI
face. The operator smiled with
: complaisance when he saw how
nicely be had accomplished his
, purpose without an evil. He had
removed the cause Of The snppura-
ton, hence the abscess would DIS
appear. He had also removed the
cause of ;he paralysis, and felt as
, sured power would now return to
the paralyzed legs and, more than
all, he knew time would accomplish
! the filling up the place where the
bone had formerly been.
The patient reacted from the
ether and was placed in bed on his
face. In three days motion re-
T turned to the legs, and he was able
TO move his feet the first time IN
nearly a year. About the same
time sensation began TO return III
the limbs. In about three weeks
> he could bear some weight on hl'
= legs. and at this time he assumed
the position OH his breast and knees
~ which he has kept ever since. Ii
this strange posture he sleeps 10
hours, seemingly as well as th'
other patients about him. lie a
length became strong enough L
stand, with assistance, and take
stem or two. He is now able L
walk TO the end of the ward an'
70 sit down in chair with comfort
- OF course hls back is yet weak AM
- probably will never regain II
> former power, but he will be USE
- tnl man. The wound has gradaaIi
70 70 closed up, leaving only a sllsl
y scar. and causes him little OF II
pain. His appetite has returne
" and he eats as much as a laOoTln
no 'o man, and is fat aud hearty'-C'
49, cinndti Enquirer.
- -
~ Never address your cohNersatl'
VI VI to person engaged in footing
p' a column of figures. There's not
No ing 80 deaf as an adder
10 What Can ISc Done.
>" -, By trying again and keeping